Sulcata hatchling setup

[Tinytortmama]

We are working on getting her enclosure set up and getting the humidity and temps right before we get her. We have a 65W flood basking bulb, an Arcadia T5 for UVB, and a 5000K bulb. Inside the greenhouse upon initial setup, after adjusting the heights of the lights, temps were holding at 81 degrees NOT under the basking bulb, and 88 under the basking bulb with humidity between 48-55%. Does all this sound good or does humidity need to be even more? I have not misted the bark, so I assume that will help. We have two 5.5" clay saucers for feeding and water, and a hide is on the way. Do I need more substrate? The basking bulb stays on 12 hours a day and the UVB 15 minutes a day. How about the 5000k bulb?

 

[wellington]

Basking needs to be 95-100 and humidity 80% at the lowest. Wet the substrate, not just mist it. Soak it in water and then place in enclosure.

 

[Tinytortmama]

Basking needs to be 95-100 and humidity 80% at the lowest. Wet the substrate, not just mist it. Soak it in water and then place in enclosure.

Thank you! How long does the 5000k bulb need to be on? Same time as the basking flood or opposite times?

 

[wellington]

No, I believe only 3 or 4 hours a day. @Tom

 

[jaizei]

The 5000k bulb is for overall lighting, it should be on for at least the same time as the basking bulb. Some use the 5000k bulb for 12 hours, with the basking bulb on for a shorter time.

You probably want the uvb bulb on for longer than 15 min. I'd do 2 hours minimum, preferably 3 or 4.

 

[Tinytortmama]

The 5000k bulb is for overall lighting, it should be on for at least the same time as the basking bulb. Some use the 5000k bulb for 12 hours, with the basking bulb on for a shorter time.

You probably want the uvb bulb on for longer than 15 min. I'd do 2 hours minimum, preferably 3 or 4.

Thank you! I don’t suppose you have a photo of the electrical outlet that will hold all these plugs and timers, do you?

 

[Tom]

Thank you! I don’t suppose you have a photo of the electrical outlet that will hold all these plugs and timers, do you?

HEY! This is looking good!

I agree with what jaizei said.

-Basking bulb and 5000K LED on the same timer for 12 or 13 hours a day. These two lamps simulate the heat and light of the sun in our indoor enclosures. I do the opposite of what he was suggesting. I have the basking lamp come on first. It is fairly dim and the light is yellow/orange-ish. I have this one on for a bout 10-15 minutes before the right side bank of bright LEDs kick on, and then another 10-15 minutes before the left side LEDs kick on. I like this "simulated sunrise" where the light build gradually. I have all the light go off in the opposite direction to simulate a gradual sunset. None of this is "necessary", but I like to do it anyway. It certainly doesn't hurt any thing.
-UV tube on for 2-4 hours mid day. UV levels outside are very low in the morning and evening. UV level builds gradually, peaks mid day, and is back to zero long before sunset. This is why 2-4 hours mid day works best. It simulates what happens outside vs. the people who run full UV from sunrise to sunset all day every day. If you get yourself the Solarmeter 6.5, you can go outside at different times of day and different times of year and get a feel for what is really happening. I was pretty surprised. My meter arrived at about 4 pm in winter. I went outside and pointed it directly at the warm sun. There was no cloud cover and the sun felt hot on my skin, but the meter read zero. I thought it was broken. I took it out the next day at around 9am, and still zero. I was bummed. I figured I must have a defective meter. I tried one more time around 10 am and got a 1.1 in full direct sun with the sensor pointing right at the sun. Hmmm.... By 11am I was getting a 2.6. At noon it was over 4. By 4pm it was back down to zero again. I never realized this. I used to rush around to get my tortoises out in the late afternoon for some "natural UV". I had no idea that I was completely wasting my time, if UV alone was the goal. The readings are higher, and UV is "on" longer outside in the summertime, but it is still the same sort of phenomenon.
-Lower your basking bulb until the temp directly under it is around 95-100. Measure this by laying a digital thermometer on its back directly under the bulb and letting it bake there for an hour. Best to have a flat rock of some sort directly under it for basking too.
-You didn't mention ambient heat. Do you have a CHE set on a thermostat to keep everything above 80 day and night?

You can buy one of those 6 outlet strip plugs for all of this stuff. Sometimes I need two because the bulky light timers block several of the outlets.

 

[Tinytortmama]

HEY! This is looking good!

I agree with what jaizei said.

-Basking bulb and 5000K LED on the same timer for 12 or 13 hours a day. These two lamps simulate the heat and light of the sun in our indoor enclosures. I do the opposite of what he was suggesting. I have the basking lamp come on first. It is fairly dim and the light is yellow/orange-ish. I have this one on for a bout 10-15 minutes before the right side bank of bright LEDs kick on, and then another 10-15 minutes before the left side LEDs kick on. I like this "simulated sunrise" where the light build gradually. I have all the light go off in the opposite direction to simulate a gradual sunset. None of this is "necessary", but I like to do it anyway. It certainly doesn't hurt any thing.
-UV tube on for 2-4 hours mid day. UV levels outside are very low in the morning and evening. UV level builds gradually, peaks mid day, and is back to zero long before sunset. This is why 2-4 hours mid day works best. It simulates what happens outside vs. the people who run full UV from sunrise to sunset all day every day. If you get yourself the Solarmeter 6.5, you can go outside at different times of day and different times of year and get a feel for what is really happening. I was pretty surprised. My meter arrived at about 4 pm in winter. I went outside and pointed it directly at the warm sun. There was no cloud cover and the sun felt hot on my skin, but the meter read zero. I thought it was broken. I took it out the next day at around 9am, and still zero. I was bummed. I figured I must have a defective meter. I tried one more time around 10 am and got a 1.1 in full direct sun with the sensor pointing right at the sun. Hmmm.... By 11am I was getting a 2.6. At noon it was over 4. By 4pm it was back down to zero again. I never realized this. I used to rush around to get my tortoises out in the late afternoon for some "natural UV". I had no idea that I was completely wasting my time, if UV alone was the goal. The readings are higher, and UV is "on" longer outside in the summertime, but it is still the same sort of phenomenon.
-Lower your basking bulb until the temp directly under it is around 95-100. Measure this by laying a digital thermometer on its back directly under the bulb and letting it bake there for an hour. Best to have a flat rock of some sort directly under it for basking too.
-You didn't mention ambient heat. Do you have a CHE set on a thermostat to keep everything above 80 day and night?

You can buy one of those 6 outlet strip plugs for all of this stuff. Sometimes I need two because the bulky light timers block several of the outlets.

@Tom thank you. Which CHE do you recommended? Is that a bulb as well? It runs 24/7?

 

[Tom]

@Tom thank you. Which CHE do you recommended? Is that a bulb as well? It runs 24/7?

ZooMed CHEs have worked well for me over the years. The CHE is plugged into a thermostat that will turn it on and off as needed to maintain the correct ambient temperature.

 

[Tinytortmama]

CHE has been installed with temp set at 85. We’re so ready for her arrival 🐢💕
@NorCal tortoise guy @Tom @jaizei

 

[Tinytortmama]

ZooMed CHEs have worked well for me over the years. The CHE is plugged into a thermostat that will turn it on and off as needed to maintain the correct ambient temperature.

I took out the divider and added the hide. Is the CHE in a good spot (on the right) or should I move it?

 

[Tom]

Does the temperature stay over 80 degrees on the far side away from the CHE at night when everything else is off? If yes, then the CHE placement is fine. Most people mount the ambient heat over the center to evenly disperse the heat. Basking bulbs usually get mounted to one side to create a gradient where the tortoise can move toward the light if it wants to warm up, or away from the heat lamp if it is already warm enough.

 

[Tinytortmama]

Does the temperature stay over 80 degrees on the far side away from the CHE at night when everything else is off? If yes, then the CHE placement is fine. Most people mount the ambient heat over the center to evenly disperse the heat. Basking bulbs usually get mounted to one side to create a gradient where the tortoise can move toward the light if it wants to warm up, or away from the heat lamp if it is already warm enough.

 

[Tinytortmama]

Ok, I’ll do some rearranging!